Fantasy Football Index

Customer Service

Operating Hours

Fantasy News

Short-yardage rushing

Gurley, Elliott have been busiest short-yardage runners

At the halfway point of the season, the league’s most effective short-yardage runner is … Joe Flacco? Well, that’s what the numbers say.

Once per week, I like to look at the overview stats from one of the areas we track – usually passing, rushing or receiving around the end zone. For this week, I’m looking at key rushing plays. That is, when a team needs to pick up 1 yards on either third or fourth down to keep a drive alive, or has the ball on the 1-yard line of an opponent, who does it tend to give the ball, and is that player effective?

Turns out Joe Flacco is the current clubhouse leader. They’ve used him 9 times on quarterback sneaks, and he’s converted all of them. Similarly, Marcus Mariota is 8 for 8 on such plays.

Nine players have handled the ball at least 4 times on such plays and converted every time, and all but one of those players is a quarterback. Phillip Lindsay is the running back leader, hitting on all 5 of his plays.

Three other running backs have converted over 80 percent of such plays: Alvin Kamara, LeGarrette Blount and Derrick Henry.

Five players have run the ball on at least 13 such plays, and they’re all running backs: Todd Gurley, Ezekel Elliott, James Conner, Sony Michel and Jordan Howard. (While Michel has had a lot of those carries, he hasn’t been that effective – 7 of 13.)

Two others have double-digit short-yardage carries, but neither has been that effective. Carlos Hyde has gone 6 of 11, while Alfred Blue has converted 5 of 10. We tend to think of Lamar Miller as Houston’s starting, featured running back, but he has only 1 carry all year when the Texans were looking for a yard – Blue has had 10 times as many attempts.

Other observations.

In Buffalo, Chris Ivory has gone 3 of 5 on these plays, while LeSean McCoy just 0 for 1.

Jordan Howard looks like the main goal-line choice for the Bears. He’s gone 8 of 13 when they’ve been looking for a key yard, while Tarik Cohen is just 0 for 1.

You might logically figure Mark Ingram would be the goal-line back in New Orleans. He’s more of grinder than Alvin Kamara. But Ingram is just 2 for 2 on these kind of plays since coming back for their last four games. With Kamara, they can use Taysom Hill has a zone-read quarterback. Hill is 3 for 3, while Kamara is 6 of 7.

For the Eagles, they’ve used a league-high 8 different players for these kind of plays. Carson Wentz is the only one with 3 attempts.

"AND ONE" RUSHING (individual leaders)

Player

No

Good

Pct

J.Flacco, BAL

9

9

1.000

M.Mariota, TEN

8

8

1.000

A.Smith, WAS

5

5

1.000

B.Bortles, JAX

5

5

1.000

D.Brees, NO

5

5

1.000

P.Lindsay, DEN

5

5

1.000

S.Darnold, NYJ

5

5

1.000

B.Roethlisberger, PIT

4

4

1.000

M.Trubisky, CHI

4

4

1.000

A.Kamara, NO

7

6

.857

D.Henry, TEN

6

5

.833

L.Blount, DET

6

5

.833

S.Barkley, NYG

6

5

.833

C.Newton, CAR

5

4

.800

M.Gordon, LAC

5

4

.800

K.Hunt, KC

8

6

.750

A.Peterson, WAS

4

3

.750

D.Prescott, DAL

4

3

.750

J.Allen, BAL

4

3

.750

K.Cousins, MIN

4

3

.750

M.Mack, IND

4

3

.750

T.Coleman, ATL

4

3

.750

E.Elliott, DAL

15

11

.733

J.Conner, PIT

14

10

.714

C.Carson, SEA

7

5

.714

R.Freeman, DEN

7

5

.714

T.Gurley, LAR

17

12

.706

A.Collins, BAL

6

4

.667

M.Lynch, OAK

8

5

.625

J.Howard, CHI

13

8

.615

C.Ivory, BUF

5

3

.600

E.Manning, NYG

5

3

.600

J.White, NE

5

3

.600

T.Yeldon, JAX

5

3

.600

A.Morris, SF

7

4

.571

J.Mixon, CIN

9

5

.556

C.Hyde, CLE-JAC

11

6

.545

S.Michel, NE

13

7

.538

A.Blue, HOU

10

5

.500

D.Johnson, ARI

6

3

.500

I.Crowell, NYJ

4

2

.500

K.Drake, MIA

4

2

.500

Here are the team totals. Tampa Bay is the only team that’s converted on all of its running plays, but it has a league-low 3 attempts (only three other teams don’t have at least double-digit carries).

Only two teams have converted fewer than half of these kind of running plays – Raiders and Texans. Everyone else is over 54 percent.

Stay in the Loop

Why Choose Fantasy Index?

My dad and I have subscribed since I was 10 years old and I am 38 now. We canʼt go a season without it.

Trevor T.Sparks, Nev.

You guys are great - if you look at my account, I believe I have been a subscriber for around 20 years! Unfortunately, a few years ago a couple of other owners found the same publication (they didnʼt get it from me; I always disguised the sheets while at the draft!)

Michael B.St. Charles, Mo.

I have purchased your magazine since my first fantasy football season ever 12 season ago and love the insight you offer. Thank you for the great service, I look forward to many many more years of enjoying your subscription!

Paul L.Mequon, Wisc.

The magazine is exactly the same as last year, which is perfect. Boys, we have a chance to repeat in the 33rd year of the NWFFL. I am counting on you to help pull it off. FI has been a league staple for decades, one of my guys has every edition. A few years ago, we devised a clever way to use one of your lists to draft a team for an absent owner, the sob won it all. We love you guys. Peace!

Glenn S.Olympia, Wash.

Hi, received my copy over the weekend and I think it's the best work you guys have done (I've been reading your publication since 1988). The writing is terrific and full of good humor, along with more substance than anybody else has.

Keep up the great work!

John L.Madison, Wis.

I'm in 3 leagues. All have different formats. I bought one magazine, the same magazine for 30 years. I keep the Fantasy Football Index handy and refer back to your preseason reports throughout the season to help me evaluate roster moves in every format. This week I'm in two championship games and a semifinal. Did I tell you I'm in three leagues? Three playoff teams! Best fantasy season ever. Thank you.

Henry G.Bartlett, Ill.

Thanks for another great season of Fantasy Index, you avoid group-think and form your own opinions, and always have. I've been using your products since 1992, and you've always been a cut above the rest.

Rob D.Wellington, Fla.

Thank you for all you do and what your team does. Been playing since mid 90s and your mag has been there every year. The mailer I get with the questions on the front is what I consider the beginning of the fantasy football season. Get the updates and listen to the podcast. I write a weekly column for the newspaper I work at and always appreciate the work you put in to produce as much as you do. Just a fan saying thanks and will keep up with you and the site through the season.

Jason C.Tulsa, Okla.

A little feedback from a long time customer.

Our fantasy pool is entering its 25th year and I have used multiple books and on-line tools over the years.

I have locked on to Fantasy Index as my go to for the last 5 years and have won the pool 3 of those years and finished no lower than 4th.

Interesting to see how much more accurate you were at the end of the year compared to other books my competitors used.

Having it in a format that allows me to work the forecasts to match our scoring system and then receive updates as the season approaches is invaluable. Whoever your sources are for the forecasts are the best. Hang on to them. Thanks for the help!!

Peter M.London, Ontario, Canada

I did receive the updated draft ranking from you guys in plenty of time for my draft that night. My draft report gave me an A+ and predicted me to go 14-0 and win my league! I just want to say thank you for the excellent customer service that your company provided me. When I first started playing fantasy football more than 15 years ago, I used to buy as many fantasy football magazines as I could find. It wasnʼt long before I only purchased Fantasy Football Index each year. It is by far the most comprehensive, well written fantasy football magazine on the market. Also, I almost always rank in the top three in my fantasy football leagues, and won my league last year. Thank you to you and all of your great team. You have a customer for life!

Trey C.Fort Worth, Texas

Thank you for all the updates etc. In the last 14 or 15 years, we have placed in the top three 9 times winning it all 4 times. I have been a customer of yours for many years. Our success is partially due to luck, but I think your magazine with all of the good stuff has been a real contributing factor. Keep up the good work. Will be a customer until the time I can't read anymore.

Richard M.Imperial, Neb.

I just wanted to send everyone at Fantasy Football Index an apology. Since 2003 (Ricky Williams cover), I've protected my source of information and have gone out of my way to hide Fantasy Football Index from my leagues prying eyes. I've won championships in leagues and money playing Daily Fantasy and your Training Camp updates are the highlight of my summer and a recurring order for me every single season. I just wanted to Thank You and everyone there (customer service, the writers, janitors, secretaries and assistants) for your hard work and dedication.

You are appreciated and valued part of my Fantasy Football Operations department even if i never speak your name in fear that others in my league will discover the wondrous bounty of knowledge contained in your pages…

From the bottom of a champion's heart,

Dave M.Elma, N.Y.

I wanted to send a quick note and thank you for your great magazine! The information you provide, has allowed me to win my league 3 years in a row!

The payoff in the league is not bad, six hundred dollars to be exact, but it is those all important bragging rights that really make it fun!

I epically enjoyed this last issue because you included all the covers for the past 30 years, I did not buy 87, and 88, but all the rest I have purchased.

All I have to do is read and then plug and play, thanks again for doing all the work so I don't have to, except for cash the check of course! Lol.

I will be continue to purchase your magazine, and recommend it to others, although I don't like to give away my secret!

I typically don't write emails to magazines, but after 3 wins in a row, and others which I did not list, I felt like you would like to know.

Thanks again to you and your staff,

Darrell W.Holt, Mich.

I wanted to let you know I finished my season going 16-0 winning my league, breaking every record in our 19 year history along the way. A special thank you to FI for the insightful knowledge as it provided me much help along the way.

Ryan M.Lynnwood, Wash.

You guys do a great job. I got laughed at by a few people at the draft but they're not laughing now. I'm leading the league in record (8-1) and PF thus far.

John W.Aylett, Va.

And a side note… we've got a re-draft 16-team, 20 players drafted league (drafting water boys by the 17th round) that I've won 2 years in a row. Nobody's ever done that in 21 years… using your cheat sheet. it's an old school league that used to draft out of piles of magazines.

Thanks again,

Todd S.Grand Junction, Colo.

This is my ninth year competing with my two very savey adult children and their 11 regulars to make it a 14 team draft with a $200 bid limit. Your SuperFanatic package has put me into the 6 team play- offs 4 out of the 8 years and there is no way I could compete with these guys without my cheat sheets! They still have no idea how I can be so lucky every year :-) Cheaters do prosper!!!!

Robert A.

I wanted to thank you for such an amazing product and your customer service. I ordered the wrong date for my update and called to correct the mistake. Your customer service person was very kind, helpful and took care of the issue immediately.

I have used your product for the past 18 years or so… Every now and then I will be tempted and look at what other magazines have to offer, quickly realizing no one comes close.

In addition to the magazine, I started buying the weekly updates years ago when my dad taught me a lesson. The draft came and dad was sitting in the 12 hole for his pick. He told me he felt very comfortable about who he was going to select but would not tell me who his prized gem was to be. I was doubtful. The pick? Priest Holmes (his first dynamite year). I remember telling my dad, "that is a decent pick but they plan to pull him at the goal line." Ever the teacher, dad explained he had purchased the Fantasy Football Index update and read Holmes would get the goal line carries. "Update?", I asked. That was 2002 and Holmes had 21 rushing TDs and Dad won the title! Lesson learned.

By the way, I have made the title game for the last 5 years in a row. Thanks for the detailed, hard work and an great product!

Toolbox

Mailbag

Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition: Will Damien Williams put up top-10 fantasy numbers in 2019? Is Green Bay's running game about to get a lot better? Changes to the Fantasy Index Blackout game. And mulling the right scoring and lineup rules.